Is Static Spin in a Prop Harmful?

[VABasser]

Hey guys, got a question for the mechanically minded.  A few weeks ago I had a pinion gear break while running on my 2005 60hp Mercury 2-stroke. The mechanic I took it to said it was a freak accident and he couldn't trace any reason why the part failed.  We were unsuccessful finding a replacement lower unit, so he went into the lower unit and replaced the part, resealed everything and put it back on.  I got the boat back yesterday.  Here's what I'm noticing and what my concern is.  When the outboard is hooked up to a hose and idling in neutral, the prop spins fairly quickly (at least compared to how it used to).  There's no power behind it, I can stop the prop from spinning with my foot, it's not in gear.  When I put the motor in forward, there's a momentary series of clicking sounds, best way I could describe it is it sounds like one of those New Years noisemakers.  The mechanic said the prop spinning in neutral is called static spin, and the noise that I'm hearing when shifting it is because I'm dry shifting it out of the water.  With the prop spinning, the clutch is engaging something that is spinning (the prop), hence the noise until the teeth click in and engage the prop.  He said this is normal and nothing to be concerned about, that once its in water the resistance from the water will slow that spin down, and the parts I hear clicking are hard steel and meant to take that kind of wear and tear.  My concern is why there is more static spin to the prop than prior to this work being done?  I've hooked this outboard up to a hose countless times and know for a fact the prop used to only slowly rotate when idling in neutral, and I never got the sound when shifting it, in water or out of water.  For the record, I haven't had a chance to test the boat/outboard in water yet, I will this weekend.  The mechanic says he doesn't know why I would be getting more static spin, that nothing he did with the lower unit or pinion gear should affect that.  His theory was that because he put fresh, heavy weight oil in the lower unit that could be causing the increased static spin.  Is increased static spin and the noise I hear when shifting anything to be concerned about?       

[livetofish28]

It could be your shifter. On mine you can bring it to neutral and occasionally it will come to like a half in half out of gear and it clicks like your talking about. The prop should not spin on its own when its in neutral. That could be very bad if someone or something in the water gets too close to the lower unit.

 

  Tight lines 

 

     Andrew

[A-Jay]

May want to dampen "your Concern" a little regarding the motor's driveway performance; which by and large is over rated. 

Reevaluate after you splash that rig and run it.

Good Luck

A-Jay

 

 

[Al Wolbach]

14 hours ago, A-Jay said:

May want to dampen "your Concern" a little regarding the motor's driveway performance; which by and large is over rated. 

Reevaluate after you splash that rig and run it.

Good Luck

A-Jay

 

 

 

Good advice......